Taiwanocapsus, Yasunaga & Yamada & Tsai, 2023

Yasunaga, Tomohide, Yamada, Kazutaka & Tsai, Jing-Fu, 2023, New genera and new species of remarkably large-sized or uniquely-shaped mirine plant bugs from Taiwan (Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae), Zootaxa 5278 (2), pp. 264-288 : 275-282

Taiwanocapsus n. gen.

Diagnosis: Externally most similar to Eocalocoris or Miyamotoa , the present new genus can be distinguished by the following characters: dorsal surface only with uniformly distributed, simple, reclining setae and lacking silvery sericeous setae ( Fig. 13A–B ); male total length greater than female; labium short, not exceeding posterior margin of mesepisternum; parameres remarkably specialized in form ( Figs. 7A–B , 13G–J ); sclerotized rings enlarged, contiguous to each other mesally ( Figs. 7F , 14H ); and reduced, narrow interramal lobe ( Figs. 7D , 14G ).

Description. Male: Body elongate oval, tumid, relatively large-sized; basic coloration dark reddish brown; dorsum weakly shining, faintly punctate, with uniformly distributed, simple, reclining setae, lacking sericeous or silvery vestiture. Head: Vertical, rather short; eyes small, contiguous to pronotal collar; vertex with a shallow, faint median sulcus; clypeus weakly projected. Antenna: Generally short; segment I much shorter than head width across eyes, longer than IV; segment II gradually clavate, shorter than basal width of pronotum; segments III and IV equally filiform. Labium: Relatively slender, short, not exceeding posterior margin of mesepisternum. Thorax: Pronotum comparatively shining, not carinate laterally, sparsely and shallowly punctate, with uniformly distributed, simple, reclining setae; collar about as thick as basal part of antennal segment II; calli not clearly demarcated; scutellum moderately elevated; scent efferent system small, with ear-like peritreme ( Fig. 13C–D ). Hemelytron: Weakly shining, rather declivous at cuneal fracture, with uniformly distributed, pale, simple setae. Legs: Moderate in length; tibial spines short and sparsely distributed; meta-tarsomere III longer than I or II ( Fig. 13E ); pretarsal structure as in Fig. 13F ; parempodia rhombic, relatively long. Genitalia ( Figs. 7A–C , 13G–L ): Parameres remarkably modified in shape ( Figs. 7A–B , 13G–J ); left paramere bifurcate, with apically spinulate basal branch ( Fig. 13I ); right paramere elongate, J–shaped, much longer than left, with a sharp process at middle ( Fig. 7B , 13J ); vesica widely membranous, elongate, with a single lobal sclerite that is tapered toward apex and spinulate sclerite on right side of membrane ( Fig. 7C ); ductus seminis inflated subapically.

Female: Similar to male in coloration and structure, but body ovoid, shorter and wider. Genitalia ( Figs. 7D–F , 14H–K ): Sclerotized rings enlarged, contiguous to each other mesally ( Figs. 7F , 14H ); posterior wall with widened dorsal structure and narrow interramal lobe ( Figs. 7D , 14J–L ); interramal lobe with uniformly distributed spinules ( Fig. 14L ).

Etymology. Named for Taiwan, combined with the mirine generic name Capsus Fabricius ; gender masculine.

Type species. Taiwanocapsus luteocordatus Yasunaga, Yamada & Tsai , new species.

Distribution. Currently known only from Taiwan.

Discussion. The present new genus is at first sight similar to Eocalocoris or Miyamotoa , as having the similar dorsal color pattern and body shape (cf. Fig. 2A–C ). Based on the unique male genitalic structure, however, Taiwanocapsus is assumed to be related to Fangumellus Yasunaga, Oh & Lee , described from Laos (cf. Yasunaga et al. 2016). The former can be distinguished from the latter by the larger size, almost uniformly dark reddish brown dorsum, smooth vertex that is not carinate basally, longer antenna, weakly shining and shallowly punctate pronotum, remarkably bifurcate left paramere, and J-shaped, elongate right paramere with the sharp median process.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habitus images of dry-preserved specimens of mirine plant bugs.A. Eocalocoris gotohi n. sp., female, dorsal view. B. Same, ventral view. C. Eo. hirashimai Miyamoto & Yasunaga, male (from Kyushu, Japan). D. Eo. albicerus Yasunaga & Takai, male (from Shikoku, Japan). E. Eurystylus yixuanae n. sp., holotype male. F. Same, left lateral view.

FIGURE 7. Male (A–C) and female (D–F) genitalia of Taiwanocapsus luteocordatus n. sp.A. Left paramere. B. Right paramere. C. Vesica. D. Posterior wall. E. Ovipositor (gonapophysis) I. F. Genital chamber, dorsal view. Scale bars 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 13. Scanning electron micrographs for Taiwanocapsus luteocordatus n. sp., male (A–B, E–L) and female (C–D). A. Anterior body, left lateral view. B. thoracic surface, left lateral view. C. Thoracic pleura, left lateral view. D. Scent efferent system. E. Metatarsus. F. Pretarsal structure of metaleg. G. Apex of genital segment, with parameres. H–I. Left paramere. J. Right paramere. K–L. Vesica.

FIGURE 14. Scanning electron micrographs of female genitalia for Eurystylus yixuanae n. sp. (A–D), E. coelestialium (Kirkaldy, 1902) (E–G) and Taiwanocapsus luteocordatus n. sp. A, E, H. Genital chamber, dorsal view. B, F, J–K. Posterior wall. C, G, L. Interramal lobe. D, I. Ovipositor (gonapophysis) I.